Incline powerwalking on treadmill any good for fat burning?

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  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
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    Absolutely..just don't incline so much that you find yourself holding onto the machine (I've always heard that it diminishes your calorie burning if you're supporting your weight with your hands or arms in some way - plus it puts strain on your back when you do that)

    edit - oops, I see fatboypup already covered this subject!

    For the record, its a HUGE irk for me too.

    The program I use adjusts the incline according to your heartrate (meaning I have to use the heartrate pads, as it does not come with a chest strap or a way to use a personal one). I don't consider this holding on as I am not using it to support my weight, but only using a light touch. Thoughts on this?
    I usually just grab the HRM readers from time to time (don't keep my hands on them all the time), but I think as long as you aren't using your arms to support yourself and have a very loose hold on them, its probably not going to hurt you.

    If you've ever watched Biggest Loser, Jillian was always screaming at people for holding onto the treadmill...LOL (that's where I first learned this)
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
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    a fat burning heart rate is 60%-70% where as "aerobic" is 80%-85%
  • tmpayton
    tmpayton Posts: 149 Member
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    BUMP
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
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    NULLIFY? Yikes!! Wont do that again! It bugs me that the people who run the gyms don't tell people this when they see them, if I hadn't of read this, I wouldn't have known.

    To quote the late Steve Jobs, "you're holding it wrong!"

    Seriously, yes, holding on to the handles CAN nullify the incline, because if you're hanging on to them tightly you are, in essence, pulling yourself up the incline. You are also disengaging your upper body since you can depend on the bars for balance, so you aren't getting the full benefit of even a walk.

    However, if your hands are very loose on the handles and there's no tension at all in your arms, you really aren't affecting your workout by much, if at all. The treadmills we have at work have heart rate monitors in the handles, and I use them from time to time - I just focus on making sure the muscles in my arms are not doing any work. Even so, I don't leave my hands on there any longer than to simply take a quick reading.

    But, though they nullify the incline, they do not nullify the workout! If you're working out for a target heart range, you'll burn just as many calories with your hands on the sensors as off - calories don't care which muscles burn them.

    However, if you're doing it for the sexy glutes, HANDS OFF THE !@#$@#$@# BARS!!!! :)

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